Work has now completed on a brand new grain store at Green Farm in Burghfield, which has transformed day to day operations for Englefield Estate tenant farmer Chris Webber.
The investment by the Estate saw the new 1,200 tonne capacity steel portal frame building replace the previous 1960s built store, which had fallen into disrepair.
Construction on the new store on the Green Farm site, part of Amners Farm, completed in June 2020 and Chris has now turned his attentions to finding a new purpose for the existing grain store so that it can remain a functional part of operations at the farm.
“The previous barn was no longer fit for purpose and we needed more space, so, after considering all the options open to us, it was decided that the best course of action was to construct a new, multi-purpose grain store, whilst still keeping the old one. The farm has a rich history, so it is important for us to maintain original buildings wherever we can,” said Chris.
“The new store has transformed operations, making it quicker and safer to load grain and also giving us much needed space to store hay, straw and some of our equipment. The team from Englefield Estate has been extremely supportive throughout and we are so pleased with the completed store.”
Formerly a pig farm, the new store has been built on the site of old pig fattening houses at Green Farm, but where Chris now primarily produces haylage for the equestrian market.
Whereas the old store consisted of a bin system, which restricted use solely to grain storage, the new building is far more flexible. Loading times have significantly improved.
The farm has approximately 670 acres of arable and grassland, and following significant investment by Chris, some of the original farm buildings have been converted for alternative use. These buildings now house a small number of diverse businesses.
James Holbrook-Bull, Englefield Estate Surveyor, said: “The Estate relies on experienced tenant farmers like Chris to manage a range of farmland effectively and sustainably. We’re keen to support tenant farmers who want to innovate and improve their business and we are pleased to have strengthened our partnership with Chris through this investment.”